1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device a display program storage medium, and a displaying method which are configured to display a list of recorded programs.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has been a common practice that because an antenna and a television tuner are incorporated in a personal computer, a user watches a television program or records a distributed television program with the personal computer. In addition, a free program dedicated to a personal computer is distributed through the Internet free of charge. As a result, it is anticipated that there is an increase in the number of users utilizing a personal computer instead of a television set or a video cassette recorder.
Incidentally, since a personal computer includes a large-capacity hard disk device, it is possible to record numerous programs without regard to remaining capacity. Moreover, unlike a video cassette recorder with a videotape, it is possible to store the recorded programs without using a large space. In addition, it is easier to copy the recorded programs to digital versatile disks (DVDs) and the like, and to delete unnecessary programs. Accordingly, there are many users who record whatever programs which they are interested in, for the time being, in their personal computers. As a consequence, in some cases, a number of unviewed programs may be stored in hard disk devices in those personal computers. In that case, it is extremely difficult to seek a desired program out of the recorded programs.
As techniques to display a list of programs, Japanese Patent Applications Nos. H 11(1999)-25541, 2002-84469, and H 10(1998)-243309 disclose techniques designed to display a list of programs in which titles of programs scheduled to be distributed are arranged in a three-dimensional space formed by axes of representing a time, a day of the week, a week, and the like. Although these techniques are originally intended to display the list of programs scheduled to be distributed, it is possible to use the techniques to display a list of recorded programs, and thereby, to quickly recognize the distribution date and time of those programs. Moreover, by arranging the titles of the programs in the three-dimensional space formed by the axes of representing the time, the day of the week, and the week, it is possible to arrange the titles of the programs in the same line in the case of drama series which are distributed every week on the same day every week and at the same time. When a user wishes to view the drama series continuously, for example, the user can select the series of programs easily.
These techniques enable the user to recognize when programs recorded and stored in the hard disk device were distributed. However, in a case where the hard disk device stores numerous programs, it is difficult to recall the contents of the respective programs by merely seeing the distribution date and time or the titles of the programs. Meanwhile, in the case of tentatively recording the programs which are distributed at the same time every week on the same day and then viewing a specific program out of the programs recorded over many weeks to watch a desired guest appearing thereon at a later date, for example, it can be understood that the selecting of a certain program from the programs having the same title which are arranged along the week axis serves the purpose. However, it is hard to select the desired program which one of the programs recorded over the weeks represents. This brings about a problem that the user may have to play back the recorded program to check on it.